The victim's friend, a young woman, tried to pull him back into his car. Attackers came after her, pulling her hair, punching her head and causing a bloody scratch to the surface of her eye. She called 911. A recording told her all lines were busy. She called again. Busy. On her third try, she got through and, hysterical, could scream only their location.

Church and Brambleton. Church and Brambleton. Church and Brambleton.

It happened four blocks from where they work, here at The Virginian-Pilot.

Two weeks have passed since reporters Dave Forster and Marjon Rostami - friends to me and many others at the newspaper - were attacked on a Saturday night as they drove home from a show at the Attucks Theatre. They had stopped at a red light, in a crowd of at least 100 young people walking on the sidewalk. Rostami locked her car door. Someone threw a rock at her window. Forster got out to confront the rock-thrower, and that's when the beating began.

Neither suffered grave injuries, but both were out of work for a week. Forster's torso ached from blows to his ribs, and he retained a thumb-sized bump on his head. Rostami fears to be alone in her home. Forster wishes he'd stayed in the car.

Many stories that begin this way end much worse. Another colleague recently wrote about the final defendant to be sentenced in the beating death of 19-year-old James Robertson in East Ocean View five years ago. In that case, a swarm of gang members attacked Robertson and two friends. Robertson's friends got away and called for help; police arrived to find Robertson's stripped, swollen corpse.

Forster and Rostami's story has not, until today, appeared in this paper. The responding officer coded the incident as a simple assault, despite their assertions that at least 30 people had participated in the attack. A reporter making routine checks of police reports would see "simple assault" and, if the names were unfamiliar, would be unlikely to write about it. In this case, editors hesitated to assign a story about their own employees. Would it seem like the paper treated its employees differently from other crime victims?

More questions loomed.

Forster and Rostami wondered if the officer who answered their call treated all crime victims the same way. When Rostami, who admits she was hysterical, tried to describe what had happened, she says the officer told her to shut up and get in the car. Both said the officer did not record any names of witnesses who stopped to help. Rostami said the officer told them the attackers were "probably juveniles anyway. What are we going to do? Find their parents and tell them?"

The officer pointed to public housing in the area and said large groups of teenagers look for trouble on the weekends. "It's what they do," he told Forster.

Could that be true? Could violent mobs of teens be so commonplace in Norfolk that police and victims have no recourse?

Police spokesman Chris Amos said officers often respond to reports of crowds fighting; sirens are usually enough to disperse the group. On that night, he said, a report of gunfire in a nearby neighborhood prompted the officer to decide getting Forster and Rostami off the street quickly made more sense than remaining at the intersection. The officer gave them his card and told them to call later to file a report.

The next day, Forster searched Twitter for mention of the attack.

One post chilled him.

"I feel for the white man who got beat up at the light," wrote one person.

Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen, died after being shot by a community watch captain with white and Hispanic parents, George Zimmerman, in Florida.

Forster and Rostami, both white, suffered a beating at the hands of a crowd of black teenagers.

Was either case racially motivated? Were Forster and Rostami beaten in some kind of warped, vigilante retribution for a killing 750 miles away, a person none of them knew? Was it just bombast? Is a beating funny, ever?

Here's why their story is in the paper today. We cannot allow such callousness to continue unremarked, from the irrational, senseless teenagers who attacked two people just trying to go home, from the police officer whose conduct may have been typical but certainly seems cold, from the tweeting nitwits who think beating a man in Norfolk will change the death of Trayvon Martin.

How can we change it if we don't know about it? How can we make it better if we look away?

Replies

Violence is the best, all American way of expression, this isn't news and will only continue to get worse. There's nothing more American than bloodshed and mob violence, just take a look at our govt. It is what it is homeboy.

Violence is the best, all American way of expression, this isn't news and will only continue to get worse. There's nothing more American than bloodshed and mob violence, just take a look at our govt. It is what it is homeboy.

You're such an ASS! - & BIG hypocrite. If these were white boys doing this to you and yours. U black people would be on the verge of mass rioting (or calling for a jihad) across this country. So now complicity has replaced common sense & unfortunately to many black people think LIKE you do. What a fucked-up society we've become IE when beating up on non-blacks is considered the norm or NO big deal....oh well that's what black people do in this new America.

I learn so much about black Americans, & how they truly feel/think about white people in general - thanks to the WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS web site. BTW kingblazer, when are you and yours gonna 'grow some' & start telling whitey these same things to our faces? instead of hiding behind those monitors of yours. I see many/lots of black people in the course of my day & as of yet NOT one of them will look @ me eye-to-eye...oh well it must be them devilish blue eyes of mine.

Violence is the best, all American way of expression, this isn't news and will only continue to get worse. There's nothing more American than bloodshed and mob violence, just take a look at our govt. It is what it is homeboy.

You're such an ASS! - & BIG hypocrite. If these were white boys doing this to you and yours. U black people would be on the verge of mass rioting (or calling for a jihad) across this country. So now complicity has replaced common sense & unfortunately to many black people think LIKE you do. What a fucked-up society we've become IE when beating up on non-blacks is considered the norm or NO big deal....oh well that's what black people do in this new America.

I learn so much about black Americans, & how they truly feel/think about white people in general - thanks to the WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS web site. BTW kingblazer, when are you and yours gonna 'grow some' & start telling whitey these same things to our faces? instead of hiding behind those monitors of yours. I see many/lots of black people in the course of my day & as of yet NOT one of them will look @ me eye-to-eye...oh well it must be them devilish blue eyes of mine.

Look, Blacks don't have no hate towards you random white folks, Idiot.
Tha Honkies coulda been in the wrong place at the wrong time , ya silly Cunt.

Even if the perps were motivated by race, Blacks still comprise upwards
Of 70% as victims of hate crimes in America. Understand this, Coward...
I HAVE told YT to his face, the muthafukKka got me commited, so fuck off.

Next time one of you Crakkkas feel the need to venture out of your cuckholded
Homes, there may be some "psycho" niggaz in the midst of role-playin out dat
Fantasy of white freedom and sanity, Ya Bitch assed nigga. FU - Y don't U grow some?

And control the fukkkin terrorists, serial killers, and pedos in your own depraved race.

Violence is the best, all American way of expression, this isn't news and will only continue to get worse. There's nothing more American than bloodshed and mob violence, just take a look at our govt. It is what it is homeboy.

You're such an ASS! - & BIG hypocrite. If these were white boys doing this to you and yours. U black people would be on the verge of mass rioting (or calling for a jihad) across this country. So now complicity has replaced common sense & unfortunately to many black people think LIKE you do. What a fucked-up society we've become IE when beating up on non-blacks is considered the norm or NO big deal....oh well that's what black people do in this new America.

I learn so much about black Americans, & how they truly feel/think about white people in general - thanks to the WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS web site. BTW kingblazer, when are you and yours gonna 'grow some' & start telling whitey these same things to our faces? instead of hiding behind those monitors of yours. I see many/lots of black people in the course of my day & as of yet NOT one of them will look @ me eye-to-eye...oh well it must be them devilish blue eyes of mine.

Look, Blacks don't have no hate towards you random white folks, Idiot.
Tha Honkies coulda been in the wrong place at the wrong time , ya silly Cunt.

Even if the perps were motivated by race, Blacks still comprise upwards
Of 70% as victims of hate crimes in America. Understand this, Coward...
I HAVE told YT to his face, the muthafukKka got me commited, so fuck off.

Next time one of you Crakkkas feel the need to venture out of your cuckholded
Homes, there may be some "psycho" niggaz in the midst of role-playin out dat
Fantasy of white freedom and sanity, Ya Bitch assed nigga. FU - Y don't U grow some?

And control the fukkkin terrorists, serial killers, and pedos in your own depraved race.

Why don't you do me and yourself a big favor & post some facts about who's beating up on who. Your so blinded by your stupidity U ignore the facts. FYI this site and so many within said site do nothing but hate on white people 24/7. When the media (which protects black people) starts telling the REAL truth maybe civil debate about this issue can begin...otherwise it just ends in hateful rhetoric like the filth you just expressed above....& avoided the topic at hand. YELP! that's what black people do when they CAN'T face the facts about certain aspects of their own doing harm to white people.

YEAH! brother you gotta it right - talk about what whitey is doing to his own and avoid what the black thugs are doing to whitey in masses...its getting so bad of late that white people can't even enjoy going out to local/state fairs w/o fear of being beat up by bands of black thugs terrorizing and acting like freaking animals...that shit HAS GOT TO END...YOU hypocrites crack me up and piss me off...if this situation were reversed the media would be all over this story and you black people would BE OUTRAGED and taking to the street with real anger and violence....BUT the victims are WHITE and it gets little to NO coverage by the MSM - I'll say it again again - THE MEDIA PROTECTS BLACK PEOPLE...and I'm sick and tired of it. It would be so refreshing to see a black person speak-out and say this stuff isn't right & were gonna join together with our fellow brothers and bring an end to all of this....at least bring some attention to the problem before it escalates and gets really nasty. IMO black people are the biggest COWARDS when it comes to discussing race relations in America.

Water Wise - I support this man's opinion 200% - I just don't understand what has happened to societies black people - He says it better than I ever could - how much longer is this gonna go on? IE black can do NO WRONG in this country...or they can't be held responsible for what they do to others.

Water Wise - I support this man's opinion 200% - I just don't understand what has happened to societies black people - He says it better than I ever could - how much longer is this gonna go on? IE black can do NO WRONG in this country...or they can't be held responsible for what they do to others.

Since when did the media take black ppl's side?Stop it.The media says all we can do is wrong and ppl sometimes have sympathy for us cuz all around the world ppl know the plight of the black man in America.

Ain't no surprise why we fucked up.We have been targeted, left out, beaten, killed.You can get some sympathy when your ppl are enslaved and your whole family structure is destroyed.FOH

Water Wise - I support this man's opinion 200% - I just don't understand what has happened to societies black people - He says it better than I ever could - how much longer is this gonna go on? IE black can do NO WRONG in this country...or they can't be held responsible for what they do to others.

Since when did the media take black ppl's side?Stop it.The media says all we can do is wrong and ppl sometimes have sympathy for us cuz all around the world ppl know the plight of the black man in America.

Ain't no surprise why we fucked up.We have been targeted, left out, beaten, killed.You can get some sympathy when your ppl are enslaved and your whole family structure is destroyed.FOH

The media protects black people - now back to your point. The bolded area above so what your saying is true,BUT has America changed for the better or has it stayed the same? did white people die fighting for civil rights in this country...are you gonna wallow in negativity? or take advantage of the opportunities this country affords all of its citizens...OR cry/play victim for another generation & pass that mindset onto your children...when is that gonna end? or is it just gonna go on and on and on and on and on and on and on. BTW would you please prove that black our still physically enslaved in this country...if they are ? I'll fight for there freedom.

I read those statics & it shows a lot of disparity. Now is it up to every white person in this country to stand-up and beg for forgiveness because the system is rigged.....OR do you think black folks shouldn't take ANY responsibility whatsoever for the actions of there own? so in your world any bad done by your fellow brethren is caused by the system or even worse those wicked white people? Imo that term has gotten really and seriously OLD AS FUCK!

I've never commented on issues that do exist...like racism and discrimination etc.,but this constant barrage of denial and blame has got to end & you don't seem to understand or care about the affects of said issue....U maybe sick and tired of things....but some folks are getting sicked and tired of seeing nothing but blame and excuses coming from your camp & you'll never admit to any wrong doing. WHAT THE FUCK kind of shit is that?

Water Wise - I support this man's opinion 200% - I just don't understand what has happened to societies black people - He says it better than I ever could - how much longer is this gonna go on? IE black can do NO WRONG in this country...or they can't be held responsible for what they do to others.

Be careful spreading this stuff about, fool. It really ain't about a chip on tha shoulder.
Whites should see Blacks and think of their humanity. But, YT is too wicked to do that.
YT sees guilt, blame, and animosity in Black faces.

Water Wise - I support this man's opinion 200% - I just don't understand what has happened to societies black people - He says it better than I ever could - how much longer is this gonna go on? IE black can do NO WRONG in this country...or they can't be held responsible for what they do to others.

Be careful spreading this stuff about, fool. It really ain't about a chip on tha shoulder.
Whites should see Blacks and think of their humanity. But, YT is too wicked to do that.
YT sees guilt, blame, and animosity in Black faces.

Here's what the t/s said - Black youth need to wake up and stop this type of BS. It really doesn't help any cause.
Seek education and stop the nonsense. So you deflect off to whites problems....& I'm the one who's got problems...LOL! FYI I don't go around spreading anything and don't need to - you and yours own actions speak for themselves....do some research and you'll see for yourself....it ain't white people out there acting like fools and terrorizing places of business & beating up on innocent black people out enjoying themselves....@ the state fair.

FYI if punk-ass white boys were out doing what these black youth are doing (violent flash mobs) - this nation would be up in arms about it - but NO its black youth and the media is afraid to really cover the story & don't tell me the various media sources aren't protecting you and yours from this black youth thuggery if the shoe were on the other foot....U hypocrites would be outraged and calling for their heads OR worse.

Water Wise - here's a little wisdom for you...so who's zooming who? I don't allow any black man to walk behind me....period! IN this day and time....getting sucker punched OR beat-up is for real.

"There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery. Then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.... After all we have been through. Just to think we can't walk down our own streets, how humiliating." ~ Jesse Jackson